Samsung has sold five million units of its recently-released smartphone/tablet hybrid, the Galaxy Note II, making it one of the most successful launch periods for the company.

Samsung has sold five million units of its recently-released smartphone/tablet hybrid, the Galaxy Note II, making it one of the most successful launch periods for the company.

The South Korean electronics giant passed the magic five million mark just two months to the day from its 26 September launch, and Samsung believes it can push those figures to 20 million in the near future.

The device touts a 5.5-inch screen, considerably larger than rivals on the market and close enough to 7-inch tablets to make it appealing to those who want an all-in-one design. The added stylus, improved from the original Galaxy Note, helps appeal to the business market, as well as creative types like writers and artists. Its 1.6GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM also make it a beast under the hood.

The Note II may be under threat, however, as Apple has included it in its latest lawsuit against Samsung, claiming it infringes Apple's patents. With such a strikingly different design, and many very different features, however, Apple may have trouble convincing a judge to implement a sales ban.

Samsung has also enjoyed roaring success with its Galaxy S III, which also boasts a bigger display than most rival smartphones, albeit still smaller than the Galaxy Note II. It sold a whopping 30 million units in 150 days and is believed to have outsold Apple's latest iPhone in the third quarter of this year.

Such high sales figures go a long way to ensuring Samsung remains the top smartphone maker in the world, and it also explains why Apple is eager to put a dent in those figures through court action.